. >> reporter: jennifer campbell got her entire layaway paid off. >> yeah. >> reporter: and at this salvation army kettle, an anonymous donor put in a diamond ring with a note that read, "paying it forward, jayden style." and those are just a few examples of what has become a phenomenon in and around midland, michigan. restaurant managers say they will sometimes go 15 minutes without anyone paying for their own meal. >> it's an everyday all day kind of thing. >> reporter: when did you start to realize what was happening? >> i think when we went to lunch and we got our bill, and it said, uhm....... [ pause ] >> it said "zero owed, paying it forward in honor of jayden lamb." [ voice breaking ] >> reporter: full circle and now circling the globe. through facebook, tom and nicole are getting word of kind deeds being done across the country and around the world all in honor of jayden lamb, the boy who told his dad, god needed him more. >> i wonder that myself. is this what god needed him more for, a message of hope for humanity? >> reporter: this holiday season, people have been asking themselves,